Step 2 Prepare Cluster Servers

Applies to: Windows Server 2022, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016

Before you can configure a cluster deployment, you prepare additional servers to add to the cluster.

Task Description
2.1 Configure the Remote Access infrastructure On each server you want to add to the cluster, configure the server topology, IP addressing, routing, and forwarding. If you configure a load balanced cluster of virtual machines, you must configure the virtual machines to use MAC address spoofing.

In addition, join each server to the same domain, and connect all the servers to the same subnet.

2.2 Install the Remote Access role On each additional server you want to add to the cluster, install the Remote Access role
2.3 Install NLB On the deployed Remote Access server and on each additional server you want to add to the cluster, install the NLB feature. Note that this step is not required when using an External Load Balancer.

2.1 Configure the Remote Access infrastructure

To configure a Remote Access cluster, you must configure the server topology, IP addressing, routing, and forwarding on every server that will form part of the cluster.

To configure the Remote Access infrastructure

  1. Configure each of the servers that will be in the cluster with the same topology as the first Remote Access server.

  2. Configure each of the servers that will be in the cluster with appropriate IP addressing, routing, and forwarding based on the configuration of the first Remote Access server. Note that all the servers in the cluster must be connected to the same subnet.

  3. Join each of the servers that will be in the cluster to the same domain as the first Remote Access server.

2.2 Install the Remote Access role

To configure a Remote Access cluster, you must install the Remote Access role on every server that will form a part of the cluster.

To install the Remote Access role on Always On VPN servers

  1. On the DirectAccess server, in the Server Manager console, in the Dashboard, click Add roles and features.

  2. Click Next three times to get to the server role selection screen.

  3. On the Select Server Roles dialog, select Remote Access, and then click Next.

  4. Click Next three times.

  5. On the Select role services dialog, select DirectAccess and VPN (RAS) and then click Add Features.

  6. Select Routing, select Web Application Proxy, click Add Features, and then click Next.

  7. Click Next, and then click Install.

  8. On the Installation progress dialog, verify that the installation was successful, and then click Close.

  9. Repeat this procedure on all servers that you want to be cluster members.

2.3 Install NLB

To configure a Remote Access cluster, you must install the Network Load Balancing feature on every server that will form a part of the cluster.

Note

This step is not required if an external load balancer is used.

To install the NLB role

  1. On the DirectAccess server, in the Server Manager console, in the Dashboard, click Add roles and features.

  2. Click Next four times to get to the server feature selection screen.

  3. On the Select features dialog, select Network Load Balancing, click Add Features, click Next, and then click Install.

  4. On the Installation progress dialog, verify that the installation was successful, and then click Close.

  5. Repeat this procedure on all servers that you want to be cluster members.